I may have just had a small kitchen epiphany. I spent the day with Eric Akis, a long-time writer for the Victoria Times-Colonist who was visiting to promote the sixth book in his series, Everyone Can Cook Slow Cooker Meals. I helped prep food the night before his appearance on BT, then reassembled dishes for an interview with Gwendolyn in the afternoon — which included making a couple of batches of his slow-cooked pulled beef with onions. I’m a slow cooker convert, so I was excited to help.
During the TV segment they assembled an extra batch on air. That’s how it goes: ingredients are prepped, the cook demonstrates, and the finished dish is presented. The remaining assembled but uncooked ingredients usually need to go somewhere — take-home, toss, or put into a slow cooker. They ended up needing every spare slow cooker I had (turns out I own three) for the evening class Eric was teaching, and they wanted everything started that morning so dinner would be ready later. That left me with a raw, sauced roast and onions but no slow cooker to use.
No problem — I pulled out my Le Creuset knockoff, placed the roast and onions inside, and slid it into the oven set to 280°F, leaving it there from late morning until late afternoon. Braising works on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker: long, slow cooking with some liquid. I expected a slightly thicker result than the slow cooker version because an oven pot with a lid doesn’t seal as tightly; a slow cooker tends to trap more moisture and often yields more liquid than you started with.
The result was beautifully dark, sticky, and intensely flavored. The meat broke down to that satisfying, pull-apart texture. The boys devoured it in buns right after school, and even the twelve-year-old neighbor who forgot his key — along with his friend — stuck around and declared it fantastic. It’s easy, low maintenance, and forgiving — I didn’t even set a timer.
Eric’s book is downstairs, but my legs were tired and I was running on fumes after a long day that started at 5:30 a.m. and ended with a four-hour preview of the new Chinook Centre expansion. That event included a stand-alone Le Creuset store near Phil & Sebastian, which didn’t help my temptation to upgrade from my knockoff. Some people collect shoes or sunglasses; I’d rather invest in a pot I’ll use constantly. It feels easier to justify spending on cookware and food than on fashion — something everyone who saw me at the event might agree with.
So that’s the story: a last-minute oven braise that turned out thick, rich, and utterly satisfying. It proved once more that slow, low heat — whether from a slow cooker or an oven — can transform simple ingredients into something memorable. I might just invest in the real Le Creuset now that I’ve been reminded how much joy a great pot can bring, and how stylishly good braised beef can look and taste.